Sixteenth Annual National Modified Championship Races
On the Historic Half-mile Racetrack at the
Kansas State Fairgrounds
Hutchinson, Kansas
Sunday July 30, 1972
Sanctioned by National Championship Racing Association (N.C.R.A.)
Promotional Company Merrick Racing Promotions (M.R.P.)
Race Director Jack Merrick of Dodge City, Kansas
Starter / flagman Al Alexander of Wichita, Kansas
Trophy Queen Cheryl Dee Taylor of Sterling, Kansas
Attendance 10,000
Total Purse $7,500.52
Leroy Byers photo from the Bob Mays collection
The two photos above and below were taken at nearly the same time but from different angles as the cars were lined up to start their pace lap before the 50-Lap National championship race on this afternoon. On the pole is Ron Fowler in the #4 John-Schippert-owned Chevrolet. On the outside of the front row is Frank Lies in the Larry-Prather-owned #97 Chevrolet. On the inside of the second row is car #01 driven by Emmett Hahn and on the outside of the second car is the Evart-Isaac-owned #6 Chevrolet Edmonds car driven by Dale Reed.
Hutchinson Nationals program
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Emmett Hahn Racing from the Past website
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Evard Humphrey Pogue collection
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Walt McWhorter Bob Mays collection
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Harold Leep Bob Mays collection
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Herb Copeland High Plains THUNDER BY Bob Mays
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H. A. Ratzlaff Cokeley collection
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Ron Fowler High Plains THUNDER by Bob Mays collection
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Dale Parsons High Plains THUNDER by Bob Mays
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Frank Lies Bob Mays collection
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Bud Hatch Bob Mays collection
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Davie Moore Davie Moore collection
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Todd Coker High Plains THUNDER by Bob Mays
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Dutch Ter Steege Racing from the Past website
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Jon Johnson Racing from the Past website
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Larry Coleman Racing from the Past website
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Dale Reed Racing from the Past website
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Larry Wilson Mike Howard photo from the Racing from the Past website
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Billy Patton, Sr. Kristi Truboulie collection Racing from the Past website
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Garland Shepard Mike Pogue collection from High Plains THUNDER by Bob Mays
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Lawrence Sinks Lawrence Sinks collection
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Don McElhinny 81 Speedway program
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Oren Haas Stults collection |
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Junior Modified First Heat Race 10 Laps |
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Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
Time |
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1 |
82x |
Larry Wilson |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
4:32.15 |
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2 |
3x |
Frank Offutt |
Utica, Kansas |
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3 |
62 |
Charlie Turner |
Arkansas City, Kansas |
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4 |
1 |
Steve Kammerer |
Wichita, Kansas |
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5 |
7 |
Dutch Ter Steege |
Bethany, Oklahoma |
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6 |
111 |
Oren Haas |
Wichita, Kansas |
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7 |
12 |
Don McElhinny |
Wichita, Kansas |
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8 |
8x |
Dick Foxworthy |
Wichita, Kansas |
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9 |
00 |
Billy Patton |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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10 |
3 |
Larry Coleman |
Wichita, Kansas |
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11 |
89 |
Bob McCurdy |
Wichita, Kansas |
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12 |
99 |
Lonnie Snowden |
Wichita, Kansas |
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2x |
Jim Tombs |
Wichita, Kansas |
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17 |
Davie Moore |
Wichita, Kansas |
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Winner Wilson had started in thirteenth position. |
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Super Modified First Heat Race 10 Laps |
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Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
Time |
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1 |
333 |
Larry Dewell |
Fowler, Kansas |
4:23.52 |
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2 |
2 |
Ray Riner |
Wichita, Kansas |
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3 |
67 |
Dale Parsons |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
4 |
Ron Fowler |
Chanute, Kansas |
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5 |
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Garland Shepad |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
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6 |
37 |
Thad Dosher |
Topeka, Kansas |
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7 |
7 |
Lawrence Sinks |
Lawrence, Kansas |
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8 |
86 |
Jon Johnson |
Utica, Kansas |
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9 |
9 |
Tony Webster |
Topeka, Kansas |
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Dewell won this race from the eighth starting position just edging out Riner by a car length. Riner then crashed into the outside wall after the race was over. |
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Super Modified Second Heat Race 10 Laps |
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Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
Time |
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1 |
04 |
Roger Thompson |
Junction City, Kansas |
4:12.89 |
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2 |
98 |
Walt McWhorter |
Wichita, Kansas |
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3 |
3 |
Melvin Rogers |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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4 |
33 |
Jerry Everhart |
Wichita, Kansas |
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5 |
12 |
Evard Humphrey |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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6 |
2x |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, Kansas |
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7 |
9 |
Steve Foster |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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8 |
8 |
Herb Copeland |
Dodge City, Kansas |
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9 |
11 |
H. A. Ratzlaff |
Dodge City, Kansas |
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10 |
25 |
Grady Wade |
Wichita, Kansas |
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Junior Modified Trophy Dash 5 Laps |
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Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
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1 |
99 |
Lonnie Snowden |
Wichita, Kansas |
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2 |
7 |
Dutch Ter Steege |
Bethany, Oklahoma |
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3 |
8x |
Dick Foxworthy |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
82x |
Larry Wilson |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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5 |
3x |
Frank Offutt |
Utica, Kansas |
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6 |
62 |
Charlie Turner |
Arkansas City, Kansas |
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7 |
1 |
Steve Kammerer |
Wichita, Kansas |
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Super Modified Trophy Dash 5 Laps |
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Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
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1 |
67 |
Dale Parsons |
Wichita, Kansas |
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2 |
4 |
Ron Fowler |
Chanute, Kansas |
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3 |
3 |
Melvin Rogers |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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4 |
04 |
Roger Thompson |
Junction City, Kansas |
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5 |
333 |
Larry Dewell |
Fowler, Kansas |
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6 |
98 |
Walt McWhorter |
Wichita, Kansas |
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7 |
10 |
Tommy Bell |
Edmond, Oklahoma |
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8 |
33 |
Jerry Everhart |
Wichita, Kansas |
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Dewells Buddy-Cumley-owned #333 car slid into the wall at the conclusion of this race. Several sources list Coker as the second place finisher in this race driving a car #4. Coker had driven a car #4 to the 27th quickest time among the 39 cars that took trials for these races. By the time the races began, his car number had changed to 40 and he finished no better than tenth place in any of the heat races on this day. Ron Fowler was also driving a car #4. He set the fastest time in time trials and finished fourth in the first super modified heat race indicating that it was probably Fowler who was runner-up in this race rather than Coker. |
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Junior Modified Semi-Nationals 20 Cars 30 Laps |
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Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
Time |
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1 |
82x |
Larry Wilson |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
12:54.29 |
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2 |
7 |
Dutch Ter Steege |
Bethany, Oklahoma |
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3 |
99 |
Lonnie Snowden |
Wichita, Kansas |
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4 |
2x |
Jim Tombs |
Wichita, Kansas |
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5 |
00 |
Billy Patton |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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6 |
12 |
Don McElhinny |
Wichita, Kansas |
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7 |
3 |
Larry Coleman |
Wichita, Kansas |
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8 |
17 |
Davie Moore |
Wichita, Kansas |
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9 |
3x |
Frank Offutt |
Utica, Kansas |
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10 |
8x |
Dick Foxworthy |
Wichita, Kansas |
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89 |
Bob McCurdy |
Wichita, Kansas |
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Super Modified National Championship Race 34 Cars 50 Laps |
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Place |
Car # |
Driver |
From |
Started |
Laps |
Purse |
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1 |
2x |
Harold Leep |
Wichita, Kansas |
8 |
50 |
$1,327 |
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2 |
12 |
Evard Humphrey |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
5 |
50 |
674 |
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3 |
01 |
Emmett Hahn |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
3 |
50 |
670 |
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4 |
3 |
Melvin Rogers |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
13 |
50 |
451 |
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5 |
97 |
Frank Lies |
Wichita, Kansas |
2 |
49 |
330 |
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6 |
21 |
Larry Holman |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
6 |
49 |
200 |
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7 |
98 |
Walt McWhorter |
Wichita, Kansas |
16 |
49 |
210 |
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8 |
1 |
D. E. Gene Suggs |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
11 |
49 |
150 |
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9 |
04 |
Roger Thompson |
Junction City, Kansas |
18 |
49 |
195 |
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10 |
25 |
Grady Wade |
Wichita, Kansas |
7 |
49 |
161 |
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11 |
40 |
Todd Coker |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
26 |
49 |
105 |
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12 |
37 |
Thad Dosher |
Topeka, Kansas |
24 |
48 |
102 |
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13 |
11 |
H. A. Ratzlaff |
Dodge City, Kansas |
9 |
48 |
84 |
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14 |
49 |
David Brotherton |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
17 |
48 |
60 |
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15 |
333 |
Larry Dewell |
Fowler, Kansas |
30 |
48 |
75 |
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16 |
12x |
Bill Cohee |
Topeka, Kansas |
28 |
47 |
15 |
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17 |
10x |
Scott Carson |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
20 |
47 |
15 |
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18 |
87 |
Bud Hatch |
Yates Center, Kansas |
19 |
47 |
15 |
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DNF |
4 |
Ron Fowler |
Chanute, Kansas |
1 |
47 |
15 |
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DNF |
6 |
Dale Reed |
Chanute, Kansas |
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46 |
15 |
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DNF |
67 |
Dale Parsons |
Wichita, Kansas |
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15 |
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DNF |
10 |
Tommy Bell |
Edmond, Oklahoma |
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15 |
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DNF |
86 |
Jon Johnson |
Utica, Kansas |
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15 |
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DNF |
96 |
Jack Petty |
Wichita, Kansas |
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15 |
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DNF |
31 |
Tim Holmes |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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15 |
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DNF |
81x |
Mike Kasti |
Ft. Scott, Kansas |
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15 |
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DNF |
33 |
Jerry Everhart |
Wichita, Kansas |
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15 |
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DNF |
17 |
Roger Chambers |
Yates Center, Kansas |
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15 |
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DNF |
9 |
Tony Webster |
Topeka, Kansas |
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15 |
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DNF |
16 |
Al Lemmons |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
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15 |
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DNF |
112 |
Forrest Coleman |
Wichita, Kansas |
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15 |
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DNF |
8 |
Herb Copeland |
Dodge City, Kansas |
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15 |
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DNF |
9 |
Steve Foster |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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15 |
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DNF |
82 |
Jerry Soderberg |
Enid, Oklahoma |
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15 |
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Reed ran second until the 39th lap. He had dropped to fourth by the 47th lap when his car blew an oil cooler line forcing him to retire from the race. Although Fowlers engine started smoking on the 34th lap, he maintained the lead until the 48th lap when his engine erupted in a ball of fire. |
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#10 driven by Tommy Bell of Edmond, Oklahoma taken on this afternoon at Hutchinson Oklahoma - Schrater family collection
Dick Foxworthy of Wichita, Kansas Mike Pogue collection
#10x driven by Scott Carson of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on this afternoon at Hutchinson. The man at far right is Greg Lee - Schrater family collection
#21 Larry Holman of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on this afternoon at Hutchinson - Schrater family collection
Frank Offutt of Utica, Kansas KAR newsletter
The first heat race of Junior Modified cars is shown lined up on the front straightaway. The #88 at left was driven by Ken Pearson of Pleasanton, Kansas. The #36x at right was driven by Hack Hackney of Oklahoma City. Car #36 driven by David Unruh of Quinter, Kansas can be seen lined up directly behind Hackney's car - Hutchinson Nationals program
The pit crew of #89 Bob McCurdy watches as #8 Herb Copeland passes by on the back straightaway - Hutchinson Nationals program
#37 Thad Dosher leads #98 Walt McWhorter through the northeast turn at Hutchinson Racing from the Past website
This photo of #12 Evard Humphrey, #333 Larry Dewell, and #2x Harold Leep was taken at Hutchinson on this afternoon Leroy Byers photo from the Bob Mays collection
Jerry Everhart in the Pat-Suchy-owned #33 and Melvin Rogers in his own #3 during the running of the second super modified heat race. Rogers finished the race in third place while Everhart finished in fourth place Leroy Byers photo from the Bob Mays collection
#2x Harold Leep, #01 Emmett Hahn, and #6 Dale Reed ran second through fourth from the 39th lap until when Reeds car blew an oil cooler line on the 47th lap forcing him out of the race. Leep went on to win while Hahn finished in third place Jerry Leep photo
Larry Wilson of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is shown here receiving his trophy from Trophy Queen Cheryl Dee Taylor after he won the 30-lap Semi-Nationals race - Hutchinson Nationals program
Left to right: Darrell Tuttle, Janet Cutting, Denise Lynn Glass, Trophy Queen Cheryl Dee Taylor, and Harold Leep. This photo was taken after Harold Leep won the 50-lap championship race on this afternoon Jerry Leep photo
This photo was taken on the racetrack in front of the packed grandstands on this afternoon at Hutchinson and shows one of the Dodge Chargers that was owned by Nord Krauskopf of Ft. Wayne, Indiana; sponsored by Krauskopf's company, K & K Insurance; and usually driven by Bobby Isaac of Catawba, North Carolina on the NASCAR Grand National circuit. During an intermission in the regular program, the car made a couple of solo exhibition laps of the state fairgrounds racetrack at slow speed but it was easily the loudest car at the races that day. Note that at that time, they actually brought a car that had been raced instead of a pristine show car as would be the case now. Pictured here with the car are starter / flagman Al Alexander at left and race promoter Jack Merrick. The driver has yet to be identified. Once the exhibition laps had been run, the car was parked in a grassy area between the grandstands and the racetrack. Click your mouse on the photo to see another photo that was taken after the car was moved to that grassy area Mike Cornelison photos
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